


In the Eye of the Hurricane

by Ryleigh_Licht



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Anxiety, Depression, F/M, M/M, mental health
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-07-05 18:00:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15868842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryleigh_Licht/pseuds/Ryleigh_Licht
Summary: Translations:Un point pour or vin - One point for wineD’accord, d’accord - of course, of courseReveillez-tu - Are you awakeBonjour - helloRavi de vous rencontrer - nice to meet youVoi - see?Le firme - shut up





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:  
> Un point pour or vin - One point for wine  
> D’accord, d’accord - of course, of course  
> Reveillez-tu - Are you awake  
> Bonjour - hello  
> Ravi de vous rencontrer - nice to meet you  
> Voi - see?  
> Le firme - shut up

“What’s the party for exactly?” Alex asked. He’d only been in America for a little over three months and there were two things he’d learned quickly. One, it didn’t matter how who you were or where you came from, everyone in America like to party and lay off steam in one way or another; two, it was really cold. Like, unbearably cold.

Lafayette replied as they turned the corner, “Stress relief.”

“Sounds good enough to me.” He shouldered his collar further up around his ears while Laf strolled down the sidewalk with just a jacket on and his arms swinging by his sides, seemingly not phased by the weather at all. Laf had been in America almost precisely the same amount of time Alex had, yet he seemed to be already entirely accustomed to the hateful climate.“I doubt you’re going to get me to like this friend of yours.”

Laf heaved an exaggerated sigh. “You have not met him yet, mon ami.”

“He’s in my debate class. He’s too quiet,” Alex said, remembering the tall boy in his class. He’d be in the back of class, reading a book and hardly saying a word, save for every once in a while he’d speak and that one time he absolutely destroyed Aaron. “How could someone like him possibly be popular and host a huge party? Money isn’t exactly everything.”

“He has his charms.”

“If you say so.” Alex looked up at his friend. “Is that coming from personal experience?”

Laf side-glance him before shrugging. “Oui.” Alex snickered and Laf smirked. “His family was visiting France. He was a cute, shy American. How could I have resisted?”

“So chivalrous, Laf.”

They turned up a walkway to a brick house and Alex faltered in his steps. Jefferson owns his own house? In New York City? Alex had researched apartments for rent in NYC (even though that would never be an open option for him) and the prices had been astounding.  _ Owning _ your own house in this city?

Laf looked back to see Alex looking the house up and down. “Thomas comes from money, Alex. Please, don’t look so shocked.” Alex looked back and ran up to the door to catch up with Lafayette just as he pressed the doorbell. Alex thought he heard a faint tone from behind the door, but maybe that was just the music playing.

The door opened and John Laurens stood in the doorway with a drink in hand. “Finally made it!”

“Are you already drunk?”

John looked at his partially-filled glass as if trying to remember exactly how much he’d consumed. “No. Maybe two more drinks and I’ll be there.”

Warmth poured out of the open doorway and Alex shivered. “Gonna let us in or what?” He pretended to think about it before stepping aside.

Alex rushed in ahead of Laf, peeling off his coat and scarf now that he was in a safely warm environment. He looked around and found a closet with dozens of coats and managed to find a spare hanger for his things. He turned back to Laf, having put his own jacket up, who took his hand and dragged him head first into the mess of people. Music was playing loud enough that speaking any manner of quietly wasn’t an option. People were either dancing or skipping around with a drink in hand. Two months into the school year and everyone’s already reaching for a bottle.

“Where are we going?” he shouted to Laf.

John answered first, trailing just behind him. “Getting you a drink? Duh.”

Alex looked around as his friend weaved through people and pulled him across the floor. The high ceiling gave way to a more conventional height and Alex almost tripped over the step into the room. They stopped in front of long granite counter with stools, one of which Laf claimed. Alex quickly hopped onto the one beside him, feeling like he’d get trampled if he stood anywhere near other people.

Laf spun his chair around to face the bar. “Alexander, this is Thomas!”

It took him a moment to locate the person he was talking about. Down the bar just a bit talking with a boy he recognized from his class as well- John, he thought his name was, surname something like Apple. Thomas was the one who thoroughly entranced his attention though. The quiet kid from debate class had traded places with a lively boy with a great smile and fabulous hair.

John shouted for Thomas right behind Alex, effectively getting the boy’s attention. He quickly finished his conversation with the other John and slid over to the three of them with an elegance Alex would never have expected out of him.

“Nice of you to show up, Laf.”

“Blame Alex.” Laf threw a hand in Alex’s direction. “I had to pick something good for him to wear! The boy will not go shopping for new clothes!”

“That’s because I don’t  _ need _ new clothes,” Alex complained. Back in St Croix he hadn’t had much. All of his clothing and belongings would fit into one bag. Now he had three times that much and sometimes he hardly knew what to do with it all.

Alex turned to Thomas curiously. He had a purple collared shirt on with his sleeves rolled up, his hair seemingly everywhere yet, stylish? Alex was knocked out of his head with a shove from John. “Ow- What?”

“He’s not  _ that _ pretty, Alex,” John complained.

“What?”

Laf leaned on the counter and rested his head on his hand. “You  _ were _ staring,” he said as Thomas slid a drink to Laf.

“Because I’m trying to figure out how the quietest kid in debate class ends up throwing a party in a house he fucking owns in New York City,” he said quickly.

“Simple,” Thomas said. He put a cup on the counter on his side of the bar and started adding things in; some green herb and liquor. “I’m a good bartender.”

Alex watched him for a moment. “Next thing you’re going to tell me is that your a professional chef.”

“Well-”

“He can make mac and cheese,” Laf interrupted. “That’s about it.”

Thomas frowned. “Is there really any other dish one needs to know how to make?” He filled the glass with bourbon and placed it in front of Alex.

“What is it?” Alex asked skeptically.

“Mint Julep, a specialty from the South, where I come from.”

“Really?” Alex picked up the glass and took a tentative sip. He’d stayed away from alcohol most of his life for reasons he didn’t care to share with his new friends. It didn’t help that he was underage, no matter if he’d be turning twenty-one in two months. He didn’t want to risk his scholarship in anyway. He gave a quick side-look up at Thomas before taking another, longer sip. He put the glass down consideringly with a small grin. “Pretty good.”

Thomas smothered a quick laugh. “Don’t drink that much?”

“That obvious?” Alex huffed.

“Don’t feel bad.” Thomas picked up a glass of his own that looked as if he had been sipping from. “I’ve been drinking since I was young, most of the people here have.”

“Yep!” John let his hand fall down on the counter with his glass so hard Alex thought it would shatter. “First time I got drunk, I was fourteen! My mum grounded me for a week when she found me in a tree with half a bottle of whiskey.”

“Really?” Laf scoffed. “I was drinking wine regularly by the time I was thirteen.”

“Psh! Wine, shmine. Hard liquor is where it’s really at.”

“What do you say, Thomas?” They both turned to Thomas who let them stew for a stew for a moment, and Alex could’ve sworn he saw a glimpse of a smirk on the edge of his lips.

“I’m always a sucker for a good bottle of red,” he said finally.

“Un point pour le vin!” Laf declared, a point for wine.

John didn’t let up. “That’s only one! And Thomas is biased! We need someone else’s opinion!”

“Fine! We will ask Angelica then.” John nodded and they both ran off, drinks in hand. Alex stared after them for a moment before turning back to Thomas.

“Are all rich kids like that?”

“Nah,” Thomas answered with a little shrug. “John and Laf are a special kind. They’d both sponsor a hundred people off the streets if they were entitled to that much cash from their families.”

Alex looked back for his friends even though he knew they were lost in the party. He turned back to Thomas and took another sip of his drink. He watched Thomas refill his own glass.

“So, where are you from? You transfered?”

Alex nodded. “Sort of. I  _ was _ going to a school in Jersey before I decided to come here last minute.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, earning a spluttering laugh from Alex as he spit half his drink back into his glass. “You’re from Jersey then. I’ll try not to hold that against you.”

Alex couldn’t help the grin plastered on his face. “I’m actually from St Croix- in the Caribbean.”

Thomas nodded acknowledgment, taking a sip of his drink. “Enjoying the winter weather?”

“Never,” he said with a dry laugh that earned a smirk from the taller boy. His attention was caught elsewhere when a girl’s voice reached over music with Thomas’s name.

A girl with long dark, curly hair and a peach colored skirt and heals with a denim jacket came marching through the crowd that seemed to part for her like the Red Sea for the Israelites. “Thomas Jefferson! Did you send drunken Lafayette and Laurens my way on purpose!”

“I didn’t do anything!” he yelled over the noise. “I said I liked red wine and they went off in a tangent to find you!”

That exhumed a sigh from her before she looked back to Thomas. “Give me a shot then. Tequila.”

“You got it.” He pulled a bottle of tequila from below the counter along with a shot glass, continued to flip the bottle in mid-air before filling the shot glass and putting the bottle back down and putting the shot in front of Angelica who was now standing beside Alex.

Thomas smirked. “Told you, I'm good.” He waved a hand to Angelica. “Alex, this is Miss Angelica Schuyler.”

I turned to the girl and wasn’t sure if I should try to shake her hand or introduce myself. She looked me up and down once and smiled, an awfully two sided thing considering how she’d just seemed like she’d been about to hurl one of her heels at Thomas at a false accusation two seconds ago. She downed the shot and took a seat on a stool beside Alex.

“You’re Lafayette’s roommate, right? The one who drinks way too much coffee spends too much time on school.”

Alex stuck out his hand. “Alexander Hamilton. Call me Alex.”

She took his hand. “Angelica Schuyler. Welcome to Columbia.” A shout went over the crowd, pulling her attention away. Without another word, she jumped up and ran back across the room.

Thomas mixed a few drinks, turning one unfortunate soul away, before turning back to Alexander. He poured two drinks and set one down in front of Alex, lifting the other in his hand. “Welcome to New York, Hamilton.”

  
  


Alex wouldn’t have gotten up if it hadn’t been for Lafayette’s moaning. He rolled over in his bed and threw his pillow at the bed across the room and heard a satisfying “oof”.

He muttered some curse in French. “What was that for?”

“Go moan somewhere else. Trying to catch up on sleep.” He pulled the blanket over his head, tucking it in close around to entrap the warmth inside.

He heard a shuffling from behind him before his blanket was ripped off and he was presented to the unforgiving cold. He peered up at the tall frenchman. “What the fuck was that for?” Laf shrugged, dropping Alex’s blanket on the cold floor.

“You are already up. Let’s get coffee.”

Alex heaved a heavy exhale of warm breath on his fingers. The one time in his life he didn’t need to be constantly working and could actually rest, and no one would let him just let him enjoy his sunday. He pulled himself out of bed and they both changed before heading out. He zipped up his jacket just as they left the building, cold air hitting him like a brick wall.

The warmth of the coffee shop was a relief. They got in line and sat down with two coffees and muffins. Alex picked at his muffin while Laf sat across from him in the booth, still a little groggy.

“So, how did you like the the party?”

“Fun. Loved the part where I dragged your wasted ass back home, and you abandoning me at the bar.”

Laf smirked. “Oh, you did not mind. It looked like you, how do you say, hit it off with Thomas.”

Alex shrugged, rolling his eyes at his friend’s insinuating eyebrows. “I did dance some- with John and a girl. Thomas can make some good drinks though.”

“He is handsome, too, no?”

Alex peered over his cup as he sipped from the steaming liquid. “Are you  _ trying _ to get me to go out with someone? Besides,” he said before Laf could answer. “Thomas doesn’t seem like the dating type. He stayed behind the bar almost the whole night.”

Laf waved the notion away. “You’ve only just met him.”

Something told Alex that he was right, but that Laf was trying more so for Thomas than anything for Alex. “He go through a bad break up or something?” Laf raised his eyebrows and Alex rolled his eyes, putting his coffee down. “Look. I’ve been in New York for a while now, but that doesn’t mean I want a partner.”

“D’accord, d’accord.” He sipped his coffee. “You need to get out more, Alexander. See the world!”

“I’m a broke college student. I couldn’t afford a ticket back to St Croix even if I wanted to.” Not that he wanted to, although there were a few things he’d left behind. He made a mental note to text James at some point. It’d been weeks since they’d last spoken. Maybe they could skype.

“Alex? Alexander? Hamilton. Reveillez-tu.” Alex snapped out of his head just as a piece of muffin hit his eye. “What are you thinking about now?”

He rubbed a hand over his eye. “Just making a mental note to call someone later.”

“A special someone?” he asked, waggling his eyebrows.

He rolled his eyes, dramatizing the action. “Just my brother.”

“So you do have family?” he said with a grin. He leaned forward, his head resting on his hand. “Dis m’en plus. Tell me more.”

“Sorry, Laf.” He took a long sip from his coffee. Laf’s face fell to the same disappointed expression he had whenever Alex refused to speak about his past. “You need friend level ten to access that information.”

“What level am I on?”

“About a six? Maybe a seven.”

“Mon dieu,” he muttered. “I have work to do then.”

“You can’t be everyone’s bestest friend, Laf.”

“Of course I can!”

  
  


**Smol Bookworm -** **_James_ **

(11:16am) can we facetime later?

_ (11:19) sure! I’m out with Mary rn. 11:40 good? _

(11:20) yep! ttys

_ (11: 20) :) ttyl _

  
  


Alex couldn’t honestly say that he wasn’t at least a little bit excited to talk to his brother. It had been weeks since they’d last spoken at all, partially because Alex had been so caught up in school work and adjusting to American life.

He walked back into their dorm room just as his phone began to ring. He hurriedly pulled it out of his pocket and slid his finger over the screen. The connection fizzled for a few seconds before the black screen finally went away. When the line fully connected, Alex was greeted with a close up of his brother’s bright blue eye.

“Alex? You there?”

Alex let out a short, boisterous laugh. “I see you, James.”

“Good.” The camera pulled back and Alex could see his brother’s face, haloed by his hair that spread out over his pillow. “Who’s that?”

Alex looked in the reflective square and saw Lafayette looking over his shoulder. “That’s my roommate who’s still hungover.”

Laf gave him a smile and a quick salut. “Bonjour. Alex never told me he had a brother. My name’s Lafayette.”

“Ravi de vous rencontrer. A pleasure to see my little brother is making friends.”

“Oh, I am trying to get him out more.”

“Good.”

Laf smirked. “Vois?” He took his coat off and flopped onto his bed, holding his phone above him.

“You guys went drinking?” James asked. Alex could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

He crouched to unlace his shoes and put them by the door. “We went to a party last night,” he clarified. “I wasn’t going to go, but Laf kept insisting and John and him both made me promise. It was fun. We danced and I met some new people. I talked with a cute boy that made pretty good drinks.”

“You  _ do _ think he’s cute,” Laf said from his bed, looking at him upside down.

“ _ Le ferme _ .” James snickered. Alex put his phone down to hang up his coat and scarf and pulled on his sweatshirt. “How are you guys doing?” He picked the device backup and sat on his bed.

“Pretty good.” James sat up and looked off screen for something before aiming the camera towards an old desk with an older lamp, a few dull pencils standing in a reused jam jar, and some books. He pulled a particular book out and waited for the lense to focus. “I got the book you sent me.” The lense focused on the paperback and the title cleared:  _ Treasure Island _ . “I can’t believe you remembered Treasure Island.”

“How could I not? It was your favorite book when we were kids!” It’s the book you read to me when I got sick, he thought.

The camera looked back at James and he was smiling. “Thanks, Alex. It’s the best gift you could’ve gotten me.”

Alex beamed back at his brother. A thought came to him, and he wanted to ask if he’d heard from their father, but he thought better against it. Despite what Alex might think of the man, he knew what his brother thought of him.

“Hey, want to say hi to Mary?”

“Sure.” He sat up as his brother did, and ran a hand through his hair. He wasn’t sure why, but he’d always strived to make a good impression with his brother’s girlfriend, probably because he actually liked her and because they’d been together for years now. Whatever the case, she’d been there when Alex had been working to get a scholarship, and he’d grown to have a certain respect for her.

He watched James move through the familiar house that he hadn’t seen in person in three months. James slowed down in the kitchen where a girl with dark, curly hair up in a ponytail, and cool sepia like skin that he’d seen before.

“Hey, Mary!” he called into the phone before James had a chance to say anything.

She turned around with a spoon in hand and a smile on her face. “Hey, Alex! How’s university life treating you?”

“Really good,” he nodded energetically. “The only thing wrong is the cold. It’s like thirty degrees outside.”

“Wow.”

“You’d be saying more if you were here suffering.”

“I’m sure if I were there,” she said, waving her spoon. “I’d have the heating cranked up and I’d stay indoors.”

“Not if you’re broke.”

“Well, get a job.”

“And work when?”

“You’d figure it out.”

“Thank you, Mary. You are so very helpful.”

“You’re welcome,” she sang and went back to whatever she was cooking on the stove.

James came back into the picture. “We went to the movies the other day. Saw Moana. It was amazing.”

“Right? I went with some friends! It’s awesome!”

Alex didn’t keep track of the time while he chatted with James, sometimes about the most trivial of things. He just enjoyed this time he was having with him, even though they were miles of land and sea apart. The time finally came when James had to sign off.

“I’ll text you,” he said. Alex just nodded with a smile. The picture of his brother froze and turned off to the main screen.

Alex held his phone in his hands, as if the ended connection to his brother was still open. He looked across the room and saw Lafayette still scrolling through his phone, his head now hanging upside down just the side of his bed.

“Your brother seems like a cool guy.” He looked past his phone at Alex. “He should come visit sometime.”

“I wish,” he sighed. “Neither of us could ever afford a ticket.”

Laf looked at his friend sadly and let his hands fall to his chest. “That bad?” Alex didn’t answer, his silence answer enough. “You seem like you both care about each other a lot. You shouldn’t have to be apart.”

“Yeah, well- life isn’t easy.”

“Hm. I suppose you’re right.” Then he went right back to his phone.

  
  


**La Baguette to** **_Hunkules_ **

(1:12) u ever think Alex hides stuff?

_ (1:13) I mean, we all hide some stuff. Why? _

(1:14) how much do you hide from me??

(1:14) i just found out that he has a brother

(1:15) and he doesn’t talk about what he’s feeling ever

_ (1:15) not all of us put our emotions in an open book, Laf _

(1:16) that’s right.. still trying to unlock yours

_ (1:28) you still coming over for thanksgiving? _

(1:29) oui

(1:30) i’m bringing food to cook

(1:30) since you have no talent

_ (1:31) i can cook fine thank you very much _

(1:31) stick to fashion, mon amie

(1:33) i just asked Alex and he’s coming

  
  


“You going to Herc’s for Thanksgiving?”

John nodded. “Yep.”

Alex turned to his friend. “You don’t visit your family?”

“Not for Thanksgiving. Too much hassle for only a few days.” He loosely wrapped a rainbow colored scarf over his shoulders and held his arms out. “What do you think?”

“Not bad.” Alex looked over the shelf and pulled off another scarf identical but with thinner stripes. “This one’ll look better though.”

John accepted the scarf and swapped it out for the one he had.

Alex smiled as John took another pose. “Perfect.”

John glanced in the nearby store mirror. “Besides, I always visit my family for Christmas and New Years. I was gonna ask.” He turned back to his friend, gaining his attention. “My parents always book my ticket wicked early to be able to have one less thing to stress over during the holidays. I know you don’t really have any family- and I was wondering if maybe you’d like to come spend the holidays with me?”

He seemed a bit anxious asking Alex, for whatever reason. The offer made his blood warm though, and he smiled. “Thanks. I’d really like that.”

“Great! I’ll tell my parents to book a second ticket.”

They started walking to the checkout line and waited in turn. “Where do they live?”

“South Carolina. Them, my siblings, the cats, and the dog.”

“Wow,” Alex muttered. “How many siblings do you have?”

“Four.” He turned to face Alex. “I’m the eldest of five,” he stated proudly. “Two brothers and two sisters.”

Alex couldn’t help but smile. “Big family.”

“Yeah.” His enthusiasm dampened considerably. “My parents are pretty conservative. Old money, big house, lots of land, lots of kids.”

Alex tried to look at John in the face, but his friend was looking elsewhere. “Is there something wrong?”

“I mean,” he started. “The only thing wrong is that I’m gay and apparently a bad influence on my siblings.”

“They said that?”

“Well- not exactly. They meant it though.” He stopped and Alex almost didn’t expect him to continue. “My parents keep calling and texting me recently about one of my brothers and telling me how I have to talk to him because he’s acting “strange”,” he said using air quotes.

Alex scoffed. “What’s their definition of strange?”

John waved it off. “I don’t know. Dressing differently, playing with girls at school sometimes, things every kid does.”

Alex nodded. He thought about when he was a young kid living with his brother and mother. He’d played with all the kids at school, boys  _ and _ girls. He remembered the first time he’d had a crush on a boy and been so scared that he’d crawled into bed with James that night and told him everything. “Maybe you should talk with him,” Alex suggested to John. “I mean, he might be going through some stuff that you can help him with.”

John looked at him for a moment before nodding with a subtle smile. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“Of course I’m right!” John laughed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vous faites un excellent travail jusqu'à présent - You're doing a great job so far  
> Mon ami - my friend  
> Peut être - May be

**John -** **_Alex_ **

 

(7:38) do u have something to wear for thursday?

_ (7:39) yeah, my regular clothing, just freshly washed. Why? _

 

(7:40) just what i thought. That’ll never do

 

_ (7:40) i don’t exactly have any other clothing, john _

 

(7:41) that’s about to change

(7:42) I’m taking you shopping for new clothes. consider it my early christmas gift to you

 

_ (7:43) r you serious? you really don’t have to do that _

 

(7:44) unfortunately, my good friend, i’m afraid I do

(7:45) besides, if you’re coming down for christmas, u need new clothing or i won’t hear the end of it from my parents for bringing someone home off the streets

 

_ (7:45) I don’t look that bad _

 

(7:46) mhm

(7:46) tuesday. after class.

  
  


**Alex -** **_Unknown_ **

 

_ (7:23) hey! _

_ (7:23) this is Eliza, from the party Saturday _

 

(7:25) I met a lot of people saturday

(7:25) brown hair? We danced? beautiful blue dress?

 

_ (7:26) Yep! _

_ (7:27) I was wondering if you’d like to hang out? _

 

(7:29) sure. do you wanna meet for lunch?

 

_ (7:30) actually I’ve got plans today. what about tomorrow? _

 

(7:31) can’t. I’ve got plans that day. Wednesday?

 

_ (7:33) it’d have to be earlier. I’m visiting family for the holiday _

 

(7:33) how about coffee for 10?

 

_ (7:34) is 9 too early? _

 

(7:34) nah, I can make that

 

_ (7:35) Great! I’ll see you then! _

 

(7:36) looking forward to it :)

  
  


Alex had Political Science first up in the morning. Hooray. Nothing like waking up first thing in the morning to talk about politics. He usually walked to class with John, but he couldn’t wait any longer at the coffee shop, so he bought two large to go and went by himself. Lucky for him, John texted him soon after telling him that’d he’d woken up late and to do just that.

The building his political science class was in was one of those old buildings with decorated sides and columns. Alex’s class was on the third floor. There was an exceptional number of people cramming into the elevators, so he decided it’d be quicker to run up the stairs.

Alex took his seat, putting his bag down beside his chair as other kids came in clusters and joined the class. Class started, or should have started and neither John nor their teacher were in attendance. Class chatter was quiet in the morning. Alex took a long sip of his espresso, and turned his head at a knock on the window. He turned to look at the window. His eyes took a moment to adjust to the sunlight shining through the window. A silhouette sharpened into John, kneeling on the window pain outside and a wide grin.

Alex muttered to himself before standing. “What the fuck.” He walked over the window and looked, down the side of the building. He gave John a look before opening the window, letting in a burst of cold air and a shout of disapproval from a classmate, and stepping aside. “What the fuck, John?” John hopped inside and Alex quickly closed the window.

“I had to get up here before the teacher,” John said, as if scaling the side of the school building was the most obvious choice anyone would have taken.

They went to take their seats just as their teacher walked in and spotted John. He stopped mid-stride and stared at John for a moment before a security guard came running in. “STOP DOING THAT!”

John was snickering to himself and Alex couldn’t help the amusement of the whole situation. “How many times have you scaled a building to get to class?”

“Two, I think,” John said. “But, hey! I’m not late!” Alex smirked and their teacher told everyone to get to their seats.   
  


**La Baguette -** **_Hamilton Sr._ **

 

(1:31) Bonjour! This is Lafayette, Alex’s roommate

(1:35) I wanted to talk to you about Alex

 

_ (3:33) Hi _

_ (3:34) Did Alex give you my number? _

 

(6:07) In a way

(6:09) Alex does not talk much about himself but you and him seem to have a strong bond, and I assume you haven’t seen each other since Alex came to NY

 

_ (7:03) I’d like to think so _

_ (7:03) and no,  the last time we even facetimed before sunday was when he first left back in august _

 

(7:05) how would you like to come visit?

 

_ (7:06) That’s generous, but I don’t have time or money to take any trip. _

 

(7:07) No worries. If you have time off, I will by your ticket- an all expense paid trip to see your patit bere!

 

_ (7: 09) are you serious?? _

 

(7:09) oui

 

_ (7:10) that’s so incredibly generous of you!! _

_ (7:10) Thank you so much!!! _

_ (7:11) the holidays are pretty hectic for me tho, would the weekend before the eleventh work okay? _

 

(7:15) yes. Why then, may I ask?

 

_ (7:16) Alex’s birthday is jan 11 _

 

(7:16) REALLY?

(7:17) this changes everything

 

_ (7:17) it does? _

 

(7:18) not really, but I know all my friends’ birthdays except for his and now I know it!

(7:19) he will be so mad

  
  


**Lauerns -** **_La Baguette_ **

 

_ (7:25) we are throwing alex a surprise b-day party _

_ (7:25) good luck finding a better present than mine _

 

(10:26) When did this happen???

(10:27) How did you get his birthday??

 

_ (10:29) I spoke with his brother _

 

(10:30) how??

 

_ (10:31) I, how do you say acquired his number _

 

(10:31) riiiiight

 

_ (10:33) wait _

_ (10:34) did u know he had a brother? _

 

(10: 35) yeah

 

_ (10:36) how did you get this information before me? _

 

(10:36) conversation?

 

_ (10:37) devilish charms more like _

 

(10:41) aw laf, you jealous?

 

_ (10:30) I think the real question is, are you? _

 

John didn’t reply to that last text. Are you? he asked himself. But of what? Apparently that was a good enough reply for his conscience, because the questions was quickly moved to the back of his mind where it would stay and hopefully fade away, never to be seen again.

 

(10:36) you gonna tell me when his birthday is or not asshole

 

John wasn’t sure if it was a blessing or a curse to have a friend like Lafayette, who somehow was always able to know a person’s emotional state at any given time. On the upside, he knew when you needed someone to talk to. On the downside, he seemingly effortlessly is able to pick out when your casual flirtatious manors with your best friend meant a lot more than you were willing to let on.

There hadn’t been many times that John knew of that Alex had gone out just for the sake of socializing (he always seemed to be too worried about his career to have much of a social life), but whenever they had gone out to a party or some other occasion, he’d seen Alex flirt unashamedly with others. They were all people that he most certainly never saw again, but that fact didn’t seem to quell John’s pondering thoughts about it. One of the strangest things for him to think of on occasion was how they’d first met. Initially they’d just run into each other in the library. It was only until the second or third meeting of Debate Club did they actually meet. Alex had just walked up to him and introduced himself.

_ “Hi. You were really good today. Your arguments were spectacular.” _

_ John stared at him for a moment with a queer smile. “Thanks.” He started collecting his things and stood, but didn’t start for the door yet. _

_ Alex extended his hand with more confidence than the average new student usually had. “My name’s Alexander Hamilton.” _

_ John shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Alexander. I’m John Laurens.” _

_ Alex smiled. “Such a nice name for such a beautiful man.” _

_ John stood there for a moment in quiet as Alex waited for a response. A smile quickly slid across his face. “I’m flattered. Are you usually so direct, Mr. Hamilton?” _

_ “When such a beautiful thing as yourself is near, is there really any true time to waste on frivolous things?” _

_ He thought about it for a moment. “Point taken. Coffee?” _

_ “You buying?” _

_ “Sure.” _

_ “Absolutely.” John grinned and walked with Alex. _

Couple meetings later and Alex had all but quit with the flirting. Not that John had ceased. But he figured Alex saw it more as a friendly banter sort of thing, or just knew and didn’t return any feelings and was letting him simmer in his own pot of neglected emotions. Either way, John thought that it didn’t matter all that much- as long as he had Alex with him, one way or another.

John looked at his friend walking beside him and smiled before turning back to the street. No matter how much Laf teased him or how much he tried to suppress his feelings sometimes, he knew that Alex was his best friend and that, if anything, was the truth about what he felt. He didn’t want to push it.

Alex sipped his coffee, draining the cup despite only leaving the coffee shop a couple minutes ago. “Why does it look like you’re taking me to a fancy place?”

“Because I am?” John’s coffee on the other hand, was still partially full. They stopped in front of a glass storefront, mannequins sporting a fine floor-length dress and a dark suit and hat.

Alex stared for a moment before looking back. “Isn’t this where Herc interns?”

“Yep.” He lead Alex indoors. “In fact-” A small bell rung as they walked in, ringing once again as the door closed, sealing the cold wind off from the heated interior. On the other side of the room filled with displays of dresses and suits of all kinds, was a man carefully inspecting the hem of a cocktail dress. John made his way across the room to the man, Alex following, his eyes wandering to the many fabrics and dressings around him. “Hello, Good Sir.” Hercules turned around and gave him smile. “I believe we have an appointment.”

“You’re getting me tailored?”

Hercules forgot the dress and turned to his friends. “I believe you do, Sir.” He turned to Alex. “Right this way,” he said and lead them both into the other half of the store.   
  


“Hold still, Hamilton,” Hercules said for the fourth time.

“I  _ am _ still.”

“Like a fish out of water is,” he muttered in response. Alex opened his mouth and Hercules abruptly held up a hand. “No. Quiet. The less you talk, the less you move.”

Alex set a deep frown on his face and took a deep breath. He managed to keep decently still while they finished up.

“Now, you can move.”

Alex let out an exaggerated breath. “Thank you.” He jumped down from the pedestal dressed in a sharp suit and tie, black shoes to match. Alex stepped in front of the full length mirror and suddenly stopped. He simply looked at his reflection for a minute. His hands went up to his tie where he adjusted it a little- probably too tight for his taste.

“What do you think?” John asked.

He stayed quiet for a moment. “The last time I wore a suit- it was for my cousin’s funeral.” He looked at himself a moment longer before looking up and finding John’s eyes in the reflection. He spun around in a snap with a smile and hands on his hips. “I do look pretty snazzy though.”

He looked back to his reflection briefly and John and Hercules exchanged a glance. Apparently there was a whole lot more to their friend than they had originally suspected.   
  


**John Gay -** **_Jimmy James_ **

 

(3:48) hey bro

(3:48) how ya been?

 

_ (3:49) hi! _

_ (3:49) I’m OK _

_ (3:49) how r u? _

 

(3:50) doin pretty well

(3:51) making any new friends at school this year?

 

_ (3:51) yes _

_ (3:51) a lot actually _

 

(3:52) awesome

(3:53) are mom and dad giving you a hard time about anything?

 

_ (3:54) why? _

 

(3:54) they’ve been texting me, saying they’re worried

(3:54) you’re not doing drugs are you

 

_ (3:55) god no _

_ (3:55) nothing like that _

_ (3:56) mom and dad think i’m copying you _

 

(3:57) how so?

 

_ (3:57) just stupid things _

_ (3: 58) like back in october when I invited a friend over, and mom asked if we were dating. I had to explain to reassure my friend that I didn’t like her that way, and mom kept telling me I was just lying to myself and that I’d figure it out sooner or later _

_ (3:58) stupid stuff like that. _

_ (3:58) and _

_ (3:59) I went out with a friend like a week ago, and we went to the mall and we did some shopping _

_ (3:59) and she helped me pick out some skirts and stuff _

 

(4:00) noice

(4:00) that’s how you know they’re a good friend- when they help you out with fashion

 

_ (4:00) Yeah! She’s really cool _

_ (4:01) so, we went to church on sunday, and I wanted to wear one of the skirts I’d gotten _

 

(4:02) what happened?

 

_ (4:03) I don’t think mom really knew what to do _

_ (4:03) dad started to tell me to change and I was gonna, but Martha stuck up for me- told dad that they’re just clothes _

_ (4:04) and I got to wear it _

 

(4:04) that’s awesome! I’m happy for you, Jim

 

_ (4:05) thanks! _

 

(4:05) is dad giving you a lot of trouble?

 

_ (4:06) sometimes. Martha helps me tho. I’m not sure, but she seems really angry at dad recently _

_ (4:06) I wish you were back home. Henry and Mary do too _

 

(4:07) I’m sorry I’m not there for you guys right now, I miss you guys. I’ll be home for christmas though

 

_ (4:07) promise? _

 

(4:07) promise.   
  


Lafayette walked into the house, closing the door behind him. “Thomas! Why is your door open?” he shouted into the house. 

A ruffled Thomas appeared in the doorway, mug in hand and looking as if he just rolled out of bed, despite having had classes earlier. “Hey, Laf.”

“Coffee?” Laf asked. He looked at his phone. “At six in the evening?”

Thomas lifted his mug. “Irish coffee.”

Laf’s face fell. “Mon ami, what are you doing?”

Thomas stared at him for a minute with a familiar gaze Laf knew. Unlike Alexander, Thomas had never been a very loud person, and he was a terrible liar most days. Instead of trying to lie to his friend, Thomas simply said one word before turning around and walking back into the kitchen. “Coping.”

“I can see- not very well.” He followed him after hanging his jacket. He followed Thomas into the living room where a music stand stood with a few pieces of paper and a bow, and a violin lay on the sofa. Laf circled round to read the sheet music and saw the familiar classic piece. “Thomas-”

Thomas cut him off. “Don’t. I don’t need your sympathy,” he said and took a long drink from his mug.

Laf stared at his friend. At least he was talking. “ Peut être, but you need help.”

“Your opinion.” He put his mug down on the coffee table and took his violin up on his shoulder. He turned to his music and picked up his bow, and music began to sing from the instrument. Thomas closed his eyes and his bow glided over the strings, his fingers moving meticulously over the neck.

Laf quietly walked around and took the mug, still partially filled, and dumped its contents in the kitchen sink. He walked back into the room where Thomas still stood. The music was calming and anyone else would have found the piece delightful to listen to.

“You are thinking of Martha again.”

His bow stopped. He didn’t say anything, the silence was the loudest thing in the room. “What of it?”

“You cannot keep doing this to yourself.”

“I’ve done my grieving. I’m fine.”

“But you have not. You lost the child and then Martha and you never stopped to let yourself cry.”

Thomas let his arms fall by his side. “What do you want me to do?”

“Stop pretending you are okay when you are not,” he tried to tell him once again. “Do not drown yourself for a weekend and pretend like nothing happened the next day.”

“I’m not-” Thomas tried to start.

“You  _ are _ . Throwing a party and drinking all night. Coming home after class and drinking while playing Martha’s favorite song.” He stopped and stared at Thomas, but he wouldn’t meet his eye. “What are you trying to accomplish?”

“She died two months ago,” he said quieter. “Let me be.”

“Two months ago I was not living in New York.”

Thomas finally looked at him, throwing him a sharp glare. “You’re point?”

Lafayette let out a light breath. “Three months is a long time, but also not so much. Please- talk to me. If not me, then someone.”

“Thanks for the advice.” He stopped, as if he were making a difficult decision. “You can leave now.”

“You forget that I knew her as well,” he continued, not moving a step away. “Do you forget that I was there with you? And then you locked yourself away and then immediately buried yourself in school work and socializing. Have you even talked to your sister? Because she has called me because she is worried about you. She says you stopped writing-”

“I can take care of myself fine, Lafayette.”

“Vous faites un excellent travail jusqu'à présent,” he said, his voice dripping in unsatisfied sarcasm. They stood in silence for what seemed like it must have been several minutes. Lafayette thought Thomas was about to tell him to get out, but he knew him better than that. However quiet he is, he knew when he needed company.

Thomas heaved a heavy sigh and retired his bow and violin, putting them both gently on the coffee table behind him and falling onto the sofa. He rested his elbows on his knees, his head falling into his hands. “What exactly do you want me to do?”

Lafayette came closer and sat beside his friend. “I think the better question is, what do you want to do?”

“I want to forget.”

“No you don’t,” Laf quickly interjected.

“Yes, I do.” Thomas looked up and let himself fall back into the sofa, his gaze lost somewhere in the distance. “The sorrow, the hardship- I don’t want it.”

“None of us do.”

Thomas inhaled deeply before speaking again. His face was distant, but more so than usual; it was plain and inexpressive. “I despise being sometimes.” He looked to Lafayette. “I don’t talk with many other people very often. You, James, sometimes John and Angelica.”

“If it is of any comfort,” Laf said “you did seem to make an impression on Alexander saturday.”

That seemed to get the first positive reaction out of him all day. Thomas gave a small smile and looked away. “I only gave him two drinks- but I guess I got to know him a little bit.”

Lafayette laughed. “I am still getting to know him. He is very secretive about his life.”

“I don’t know,” Thomas started. “We swapped a couple stories about our homes. I told him about my siblings, he told me about his brother and him.” Laf gave him a look. “What?”

“What is it with you that just makes people open up to you?” he asked irritatingly. One of the things he prided himself on was getting people to open up and talk, or to get to know people. So far, Alex had been the one exception.

Thomas laughed. “I don’t think it’s like that. I could tell he was holding back. He’s a lot more pleasing company one on one than my experience with him in class would have lead me to believe though.”

“He is a bit, how you say, head strong.”

Thomas scoffed. “That’s one way to say it.”   
  


“Hey.”

Eliza looked up as Alex sat down at the table and put her phone away. “Hey!”

“Sorry, I’m a little late. Did you order coffee already?”

She shook her head and went to stand. “No. I was waiting for you.”

Alex stared at her for a second, as if having thought that waiting for someone you had previously agreed to meet was an unheard of act. He smiled and stood with her. They got their coffee and sat back down with silence between them for a moment. “So, where’s your family live? You said you were going to visit for the holiday.”

Eliza nodded. “In Albany,” she just said at first. “A few hours away.”

Alex smiled fondly. “That must be nice- going to school close to family.”

Eliza nodded. “It is. What about you? Where are you from?”

“St. Croix, on an island in the Caribbean,” he explained, taking a sip from his cup.

“Really?” she asked excitedly. “I’ve always wanted to take a trip there. I’ve only seen pictures, but it looks absolutely beautiful.”

Alex’s smile turned sort of crooked. “I guess it depends what part you live in.” He looked back up at her and his smile returned so quickly that Eliza almost began to question its sincerity. “The weather is a whole lot better when it’s not hurricane season though, I’ll tell you that. Hell with freeze over before I get used to the cold.”

“Hell  _ is _ frozen. According to Dante at least.”

Alex stopped and gave her a curious grin. “My mistake, Madame,” he said with a slight raise of his cup.

Eliza smiled and took a sip from her own cup, the liquid only just cool enough to not singe the nerves off her tongue.

 

They ran onto the sidewalk as the crosswalk light flashed, just making it by the time the lights changed. Alex pulled the collar of his coat up closer around him. “You’re going to be hurting when January and February come,” Eliza observed.

“Tell me about it,” Alex grumbled. “I did some research. Below twenty degrees?” he asked in outrage.

“It gets down to zero sometimes.”

“That’s outrageous. Any temperature below sixty is intolerable.”

Eliza smiled. “I’d say you’re tolerating it right now okay.”

“Only just.” He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. Eliza thought that he must have been wishing for another hot coffee right about now.

“I like your jacket,” she said.

I briefly looked to his side at her with a smile. “Thanks. John got it for me.”

“John- Laurens, right?”

He nodded with a smile. “Him and Lafayette kept insisting that I needed new clothing, and I’m broke- barely have enough money for food.” He turned to her as the rounded a corner. “So how many John are there?” Eliza laughed, bringing a smile to Alex. “No, seriously. I know Laurens and John- Apple or something.”

Eliza thought for a minute. “John Adams?”

“Yeah, probably. He’s in my debate class.”

Eliza nodded. “There’s those two, and there’s John Andre who’s an upperclassman from England.”

“Does  _ everyone _ know each other in school?”

“Sort of. I think it’s more like all our circles of friends overlap and so if we don’t actually know each other, we know  _ of _ each other.”

Alex nodded. “Makes sense.”

“I only know John Andre because he’s dating Peggy Shippen who’s friends with my sister.” Alex laughed. “It’s like everyone knows someone on campus.”

They arrived fairly quickly back on campus at Eliza’s dorm where they found her sister waiting. She leaned up against the wall, earbuds in, and completely unaware of them before they were three feet away. She quickly pulled her earbuds out, pushing them into a pocket. “Eliza, I’ve been waiting for like seven minutes.”

“Oh, no! What a travesty! I’m so sorry you were inconvenienced so horribly on my account!”

Alex laughed out loud, earning both an eye role and a small smile from Angelica.

“Alex, this is my sister, Angelica,” Eliza introduced.

Alex nodded. “We met at the party last Saturday.”

Angelica nodded with a slight grin. “I remember. You were at the bar flirting with Thomas.”

“I was  _ not _ ,” Alex said firmly, as if he’d heard the same accusation before. Angelica simply looked at him with a grin. “Are you and Laf teaming up or something? I am  _ not _ looking for a partner right now.”

“Sure, sure,” Angelica waved him off. Her gaze shifted to her sister and she noticed how her smile had faded just a bit but quickly regained its shine. “Anyway,” she started. “Eliza and I have to get going soon if we’re going to catch our train.”

“Right.” Alex turned to Eliza. “I’ll see you later, then. Have a great holiday!”

“You too!” Eliza waved back to Alex as he made his way back. “Happy Thanksgiving!”

He turned around and smiled at her. “Happy Thanksgiving!”

Eliza turned back to her sister and opened her door. She headed inside and got her stuff, hoping Angelica wouldn’t start anything. As usual, her hopes were in vain.

“So.” Eliza looked back to see Angelica leaning against the doorframe with a sly grin. “That’s the guy you’re crushing on.”

Eliza felt her cheeks blush fairly. She shouldered her bag after putting the last few things into it and zipping up. “He’s just a friend, Angie.”

“I know that.”

Eliza walked back out with Angelica and locked the door behind her.

“But what if-”

Eliza shoved Angelica before she could continue, starving her “what if” off with quiet laughs from both of them. Despite any situation they’d ever been in, they’d always had each other’s backs most times. Not only them two, but the five of them. They had their fights and arguments, but regardless, they’d always stood up for each other when they needed them.


End file.
